PS2 Slimline is destroying my disks

Hi, I have a ps2 slimline and it is constantly destroying my disks by scratching them up to the point where they are unreadable.
Although it will only scratch up from the outer edge of the disk to about half a centimetre in, in a completely unbroken circular line, it is not a case of random scratches, it actually puts deep circular scratches around the disk. Depending on how big the game is this can either not have an effect at all (if the game isn't very big), may crash the ps2 when loading various parts of the game which have been scratched or may not even load the game at the bios because it can't tell how big the game is.
When it stops reading you can hear it constantly spinning up and down.

Is there any fix for this or is this a known problem? I would hate to have to pay for a new ps2 or pay for repairs seeing as it is out of warrantee.
04-01-2007 10:23 PM

to be honest this is really the first time i have heard about this with a slimline. Are you making sure to press the disc down when you insert it so it is secured through the center hole? I know that may be a dumb question but if not it could spin off center and cause scratching. Also putting labels on discs can do this as they do not spin correctly dues to the slight weight difference in the half of the disc that is labeled and the half that is not.

Other than that i do not know what could cause it because it should lift and spin the disc so that it deosn't come into contact with the tray. Unless of course for some reason whatever lifts it in yours is not lifting it high enough, or your tray has a defect. Like a small piece of plastic sticking up that is scratching them.

Just in case it's relevant it's a v14 with a dms4 installed. I dont think the dms would be pressing against the disk though because it's located over the other side of the ps2.
It never used to scratch disks when i first installed it either.

A few questions.
1. You didn't solder the dms4 chip yourself right? From what you've said, it sounds like you've paid for an installation but I want to make sure.

2. Deep circular scratches near the outer edges of the rims of the disc, correct?

3. What was the timeframe inbetween before all this happened? You mentioned you had no problems since you've installed it. How long ago was that?

4. What media are you using if you're playing a backed-up game?

From what I'm guessing, it may actually be the laser clocking up a lot of work on your game disc/media if your laser is having difficulties reading the game you are attempting to play. Although there are rare cases, from what I've heard and believe, your laser might be worn out or is having extremely difficulties in reading what you've been playing as of late. I'm assuming since your warranty expired, you have had at least 3 months ~ a year before all this happened?

On a side note I would like to add: my fat PS2 has actually had similar problems when playing any original 2K series game. Similar scratches like yours strangely. A few solutions, if your problem is like mine, is to actually reburn it, rebuild it if you can and want, switch media to see different results and replace your laser if needed.

1. You didn't solder the dms4 chip yourself right? From what you've said, it sounds like you've paid for an installation but I want to make sure.
Yes I did, but I study electronics so I knew what I was doing.

2. Deep circular scratches near the outer edges of the rims of the disc, correct?
Yes, I tried to take a photo but my camera ran out of batteries so I had to take a photo with my camera phone. I've upped the constrast so you can just make out the scratches where the light hits the disk.
This is an original disk.

3. What was the timeframe inbetween before all this happened? You mentioned you had no problems since you've installed it. How long ago was that?
I installed the chip when I bought the ps2, it was new then. I bought the ps2 over a year ago and I started having problems a month or two back.

4. What media are you using if you're playing a backed-up game?
No specific ones, there are some on -r's +r's and all sorts of different brands.

One more question, what brands specifically might you be using for blank media? Based upon what you've said and my experience, I believe your laser might have aged or has been worn out considerably to the point where it needs to exercise extra effort into reading any disc you put in as of late. There were several factors I have had when I had similar problems with the 2K series' games and some backed-up games I've played. One was using bad media like my Sony DVD+RW, the slim model's agile structure, and not rebuilding games properly, but you have a modchip so I don't believe the last one would apply to you since you shouldn't even need to rebuild games when using a modchip unless you were using the Swap Magic set like I was; however, given the sensitivity of the slim PS2's laser and the slim PS2's model, it was probably bad media perhaps.

What media are you using if you're playing a backed-up game?
No specific ones, there are some on -r's +r's and all sorts of different brands.

Click to expand...

You might want to check clearly what media brands you may have been using as of late. Using bad media such as Memorex or Fujifilm can easily run any laser down to the ground quickly if used long enough. From my own analysis of my backed-up games, I believe the scratches were caused by a combination of the laser trying to read the outer rims of the disc and the movements of the laser moving adruptly (making that famous crunching noise when your slim PS2 has trouble reading a disc) causing a reaction and tilting the slim PS2 slightly but in a very subtle and hardly noticeable fashion. Every time the laser was moving while reading the game disc I inserted, it kept clanking and spinning, causing numerous scratches. I actually stopped having this problem when I switched media, but yours unfortunately might have gotten to the point where it's just old and worn out. Ever tried a q-tip on that laser?

On a side note, my problem happened when I was playing mainly with blank media from Memorex, Fujifilm, and even my Sonys DVD+RW. Since then, I've switched over to stuff like Taiyo yuden and haven't had much problems since.

As for a soluton, either a new laser or getting a new PS2 and modding it are the only solutions I can think of. Although, if you want to make sure, you could go to a repair service somewhere nearby or a place/site you know of and have them check for you if it might have been an improper installation of the chip to something malfunctioning on your slim PS2's motherboard.

Well I don't think backup games were the problem because up until it started scratching my disks I was using the mod to play japanese imports.
It wasn't until the ps2 started scratching my disks that I made backups of my games so that my (quite expensive)originals didn't scratched.

Well, it seems like our situations' were different. As for a solution, the few things I can think of is buying a new laser or getting another PS2 and modding the newly purchased one with the same modchip you were using for your current one. Good luck solving your problem.

HERE IS SOLUTION
Hi buddy, i was experiening the same promblem few months back and after spending many day and nights i found that in my case its simply caused by laser cable strip. actually when u open slim ps2 or by some other reason its laser strip looses its original shape. actullay my english is not much good so i cant explain it fully. the solution is simply move the laser towared center by ur finger u will see that its strip comes upward sipmly it with your finger. now insert any clean dvd or any cd to the check is that worked. Inshallallah it will be ok.

and i guys i need help that how can i connect usb hdd with my fat ps2 cos i cant find Network Adapter for it. if anyone have and wanna sell please connect me geo.prince.butt@gmail.com or do give me any suggesstion to connect usb hdd with fat ps2.